Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MONTREAL123
2005-02-04 15:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Montreal
Cable title:
U.S-Canadian Law Enforcement Partnership
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 041509Z Feb 05
UNCLAS MONTREAL 000123
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAN EVELYN WHEELER
OTTAWA FOR DHS/ICE, POL, PD AND CONS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PINS SOCI CA
SUBJECT: U.S-Canadian Law Enforcement Partnership
Dismantles Fraudulent Telemarketing Ring in Montreal
On February 3, 2005, Project COLT, the U.S.-Canadian law
enforcement task force to combat telemarketing fraud,
successfully completed an operation known as Project CORAL.
The task force's 18 months of collaborative work led to 28
arrests and culminated with the dismantling of a fraudulent
telemarketing ring alleged to have defrauded over 100,000
victims to the tune of approximately $US 45 million. Law
enforcement agencies that partnered on this operation
included: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Quebec Provincial
Police, Montreal City Police, Canadian Competition Board,
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspector Service.
Project CORAL received wide media coverage (Feb 3-4).
Two individuals arrested in Montreal were charged with
leading the scheme alleged to have misrepresented pre-
approved bank loans for low-income U.S. residents with poor
credit. For a fee of three hundred US dollars (US$300),the
bogus company reportedly made unsolicited calls to offer a
"guaranteed" credit card. While some victims received a
manual on how to repair poor credit, none of them are known
to have received a credit card. Also arrested, was a former
HSBC Bank USA Vice President (out of the Manhattan, NY
office),alleged to have facilitated the scheme by selling
to the bogus company the credit manuals that were provided
to some victims instead of the "guaranteed" credit cards.
ALLEN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAN EVELYN WHEELER
OTTAWA FOR DHS/ICE, POL, PD AND CONS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PINS SOCI CA
SUBJECT: U.S-Canadian Law Enforcement Partnership
Dismantles Fraudulent Telemarketing Ring in Montreal
On February 3, 2005, Project COLT, the U.S.-Canadian law
enforcement task force to combat telemarketing fraud,
successfully completed an operation known as Project CORAL.
The task force's 18 months of collaborative work led to 28
arrests and culminated with the dismantling of a fraudulent
telemarketing ring alleged to have defrauded over 100,000
victims to the tune of approximately $US 45 million. Law
enforcement agencies that partnered on this operation
included: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Quebec Provincial
Police, Montreal City Police, Canadian Competition Board,
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspector Service.
Project CORAL received wide media coverage (Feb 3-4).
Two individuals arrested in Montreal were charged with
leading the scheme alleged to have misrepresented pre-
approved bank loans for low-income U.S. residents with poor
credit. For a fee of three hundred US dollars (US$300),the
bogus company reportedly made unsolicited calls to offer a
"guaranteed" credit card. While some victims received a
manual on how to repair poor credit, none of them are known
to have received a credit card. Also arrested, was a former
HSBC Bank USA Vice President (out of the Manhattan, NY
office),alleged to have facilitated the scheme by selling
to the bogus company the credit manuals that were provided
to some victims instead of the "guaranteed" credit cards.
ALLEN